Oliver Mayor Ron will fly to the nation’s capital Sunday in an effort to obtain funding from the Liberal Government to complete the fix of a broken syphon at Gallagher Lake.

At Monday’s council meeting it was announced that a meeting had been arranged by local MP Richard Cannings.

Oliver Daily News reached out to Cannings at his Ottawa apartment.

Cannings, in Ottawa says:

“No news on this end other than the meeting with Infrastructure Minister François-Philippe Champagne

Trying to get the Agriculture Minister MacAuley there too ….but no word yet.” (update above)

The BC government has contributed more than half of the money to the $10 million fix. The Town of Oliver is hoping for a substantial federal contribution and will have to finance the remainder.

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Water Utility – Town of Oliver is a complex system of an open/closed canal/syphon arrangement that is 20 kms long from MacIntrye Bluff to Road 22.

5200 acres of farmland are irrigated on both sides of the valley floor west and east of the Okanagan River. The utility also supplies potable water to 2400 residential units (Town and Area C RDOS).

In January 2016 a rock slide crushed the underground syphon at Gallagher Lake. It was fixed quickly for the summer irrigation season but then the work of finding a permanent solution took place. Several experts studied the situation with a report from True Consulting recommending a 8 foot pipe to be constructed along Highway 97 – to get as far a way from the rocks and slides at the bluff behind.

I’ve received a bit of un update as to why someone would be flying out see the Feds. The short version is that because of the nature of the Fed’s system, the meeting would have to be face to face to ensure actual contact is made and the importance is stressed. I agree in this day, flying there should not be necessary but it appears this one is the feds call!

On a more important note, the general consensus is that a water councillor should be accompanying the Mayor. It is unlikely that Mayor has much, if any knowledge or understanding of engineering or the system. He would be unable to distinguish where a plan is good or bad and therefore must rely on the consultants reports and may not be able to provide needed info. Also Consultants and Engineers can be biased in their opinions and make mistakes so relying on just that info is not always the best approach.

Having one of the water councillors present will provide for much better information exchange and hopefully with their experience with the system, the Feds will understand the importance of the matter and extend support.

Does anyone else find it strange that this long overdue meeting is finally going to take place a couple of days after this Civic Election, when Ron may or may not even be the Mayor going forward?

One would think in the era of Skype and Teleconferencing, if the Feds were actually willing to cough up significant dough rather than give Oliverites the cold shoulder for 2 years, said meeting could have happened far more cost effectively at some earlier point in time. Don’t forget to snap lots of selfies, Ron.